Maharashtra and TPDL, however, refused to pay the termination fee of around Rs 10 crore of the Tilaiya project, saying they did not want to pay for a project which never took off and that they do not require power from the plant anymore.

"The committee has firmed up its view and will submit its report to the Coal Ministry in a couple of days. There is a broad consensus that the UMPPs can assign or mortgage their coal mines to their project lenders," a source said.

With a view to making the state self-dependent on power, decks are being cleared for the establishment of 4000MW thermal power plant, a joint venture of Bihar Mega Power Limited (BMPL) and Power Finance Corporation Limited (PFCL), a Government of India Undertaking, in Banka district.